- CBT methods
- Trauma-focused work
- DBT skills
About Francine
Dr. Francine Kleinpaste is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) practicing in Pennsylvania with 22 years of experience. She works with stress, anxiety, relationship challenges, trauma and abuse, depression, and issues related to LGBT identity. Dr. Kleinpaste also lists guilt and shame among the concerns she addresses.
She uses straightforward conversation to help people talk through what they are carrying. Sessions focus on practical steps, learning skills, and naming thoughts that keep someone stuck. She draws on methods that help people change unhelpful thinking and manage strong emotions.
Her background includes advanced study in psychology and many years working with people affected by sexual abuse and domestic violence. She has also worked with clients from LGBTQIA+ and alternative lifestyle communities, and with people navigating gender dysphoria, blended family stresses, and caregiving burdens.
In sessions she blends approaches such as cognitive behavioral techniques and trauma-focused work to address intrusive memories, panic, and mood problems. She also uses skills from dialectical behavior therapy to build emotional regulation and distress tolerance.
People often come for help with specific problems - panic attacks, persistent guilt, or difficulty communicating in close relationships. Her approach is practical and collaborative: she and the client identify small, testable changes to try between sessions. She encourages steady progress rather than quick fixes.
How therapeutic approaches translate to online sessions
Client-Centered Therapy focuses on listening and responding to what each person brings. It emphasizes respect for personal choices and helps people feel heard while they talk through guilt, relationship issues, or identity questions.Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) breaks down unhelpful thinking patterns and tests small behavioral changes. It is often used for anxiety, panic, body image concerns, and persistent guilt by helping people spot thought patterns and try different responses.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) teaches specific skills for managing intense emotions and improving communication. Those skills can help with mood swings, panic, and relationship conflict.
Choosing the right approach is part of the work. The therapist will collaborate with the client to decide which methods to try based on the person’s goals and immediate needs. That choice can shift as new information emerges and progress is reviewed.
The profile does not list specific session formats, so confirm current options before booking. Online work can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy schedule, allow quieter surroundings when needed, or allow shorter check-ins when time is limited. Licensed professionals can adapt CBT homework, DBT skill practice, and trauma-focused tasks to remote sessions so clients can continue work between meetings.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
22+ years
Listed in
Pennsylvania
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of guilt or shame does she address?
She lists guilt and shame alongside trauma, relationship issues, and depression, and works with those feelings in the context of those concerns.
How does she approach guilt and shame in sessions?
She uses practical conversation and evidence-based methods like cognitive behavioral techniques and trauma-focused work to name unhelpful thoughts and try new responses.
How much clinical experience does she have?
She has 22 years of professional experience working with stress, anxiety, trauma, and related concerns.
What credential and location information is on file?
She is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in Pennsylvania.
Can I work with her if I live outside the United States?
Sessions are offered to international clients as noted in her profile; sessions are conducted in English.
What session formats are used?
The original profile does not specify session formats. Confirm current session options before booking.
How are costs handled for sessions?
Cost varies with location and sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
What do I do to begin working together?
Select the See online therapy options button, complete the short matching questionnaire, and schedule a first session.
Online talk therapy is not emergency care. If you are in danger or thinking about harming yourself, use the crisis numbers.